Chasing for Spring
by 166anna
Summary: The rifts has just gone, the former left hand become Divine Victoria, and most mages choose to govern themselves. One day Emily got a letter from her little brother whom she never met for more than 18 years since his incorporation to the circle of magi. A family is a family, but 18 years is a long time. Can they rekindle their relationship?
1. Ch 1: Her Life

**Author's** **Note :** Maker! My first fanfiction, my first story in English! Reviews will be appreciated and please favorite it if you like the story. Update will be on Sunday, could be faster.

* * *

Emily cleaned the house with smile in her face. It's not big, but her husband could feel the sincerety in it. This has been going on for a few days.

"You seem in a good mood lately," Harry finally asked while sipping on a coffee.

"Why should I not?" she stopped then took a seat in front of her husband.

"I just want to know why."

Emily sliced some bread then say, "I want to plant some new vegetables or fruits. Or anything that we can use."

"Well, that's fast. Don't you want to relax a bit? It's not even a week since the guy who put the rifts on the sky beaten by The Inquisition. Most people are just in the celebratory mood right now. Besides, you have done a very good job reorganizing this house in a very short time," Harry sliced some bread too, then gave it to Emily who buttered it.

"And that is why we don't sleep on the floor because we're not too busy celebrating that weird thing on the sky we forget to reorganize their house," she gave the bread fully buttered, "That reminds me, I must buy something for your brother. It was so nice of him and his wife to take us in Denerim for a while."

"No need, I'll find something in Redcliffe. You can do anything for today, I still suggest for you to take a rest. You've been cleaning like crazy ever since we went home."

"No, I will go back to work at Horsemaster Dennet household, then maybe helping at the local chantry or do some more cleaning."

This time Harry looked at his wife with strange look, Emily didn't look at his husband reaction. "That is awfully busy."

"It's pretty normal, I guess. Besides, you get back to work immediately too."

"I'm a merchant. This is a perfect time."

"Oh come on, stop bickering and finish your bread. You have work to do and I have some cleaning to do," Emily finished her breakfast and went back to cleaning duty. They didn't speak any further, Harry finished his breakfast quickly then went to work.

Emily went around her house just to look at it. It's a normal house; a bit bigger than their neighbours, but everything down to the furnishing bore no big difference. The same wooden table and chair, the same bed; still, Emily walked with a small happy face. She went ouside and looked at her garden for a while, after that she went to Horsemaster Dennet's house.

Along the way she met a few neighbours, all are in the mixture of celebratory and reorganizing mood.

"Emily, you should go to the bar tonight! You haven't been to any party," said one neighbour.

"Maker, I envy you; your house is clean already. Mine is a mess and my stupid husband is just partying after work and not helping at all. If this goes on for more than 2 weeks, he'll get another rift! On my face!" said another neighbour.

"I just want to sleep, being lazy, and not doing anything at all for the mean time," said most neighbour.

Emily replied with polite answers, most of them just with laughs and smiles, and continued her walk. She's welcomed by Elaina, Dennet's wife, when she got there.

"By the Maker Emily, what are you doing here?" said Elaina, her eyes got bigger when she saw Emily.

"I come to work, as usual."

"I already braced myself to do everything by myself at least for a month. Well, I'm not gonna reject when help was offered. Come with me."

Emily followed Elaina, "It's not like I do it for free anyway, you can pay me now instead of next month," she joked a little.

"I don't think there's much for you to do here Em, unless you want to help me cleaning my house. I won't insist though."

Emily just nodded and started to follow Elaina inside the house. "Now the rifts are gone, I want order back in this house. I must admit, I too, get carried away by the whole 'the world is safe-again' euforia," Elaina laughed a little.

"I'm just so happy to be working again, this few months have been really hard," Emily replied.

"I guess this is 100% much better than demons pouring from the sky," she shrugged, "I will be very thankul if you want to help me cooking. You can bring home some."

"My pleasure really."

They went to the basement and Elaina started to pick lots of ingredients while Emily holding the basket. Chicken, red meat, seafood, peanuts, beans, carrots, applles, flour, sugar, salt, and others. Emily was wondering whether Elaine prepared a dinner for a family or for the whole village.

Elaina said, "People of Hinterlands is very lucky, we are the first area The Inquisition taken care of, even before the rifts are gone. I heard we are the only one who have the luxury of celebration while others still finding ways to supply basic needs."

"Exactly why we should just go back to our usual routine faster."

"You are right, but I'm not blaming them. I mean, even now I'm a little bit carried away. Good news for you I guess Em, you can bring home more food, and maybe give some to the farmers," Elaina laughed while Emily just smiling.

They went to the kitchen and Elaina started to choose various recipe. Emily cut the vegetables with immense dexterity. After that she made sauce for the meat.

"Where's master Dennet anyway?" Emily asked.

"With a few farmers. At least they work in the morning so the night celebration is justified, Maker knows lots of people need basic ingredients," Elaina answered while cutting chicken breast into fillette.

"Yes, Harry told me this morning how it'll be a busy week for every merchant. By the way, how's the horse business with The Inquisition?" Emily took a look inside the pan.

"Very good, Lady Inquisitor Lavellan is generous and quite witty; bonus point really. I must admit I'm quite intense when talked to her the first time. What can I do? Crazy wolves everywhere."

She added, "I always think a dalish elf would be more," Elaina stopped cutting chicken and put on a serious manner, "We are the guardian of the old ways or something like that really," both women giggled.

Elaina added again, "A mage nonetheless, I never communicate with mages. So, new experience right?" she smiled to Emily

Emily did not smile back, "I guess it takes one to rid of one."

It took a few hours to finish the cooking task and they didn't talk too much during. It was afternoon already, and they planned to give some to the chantry after this. Elaina went to the farm while Emily went to the chantry.

On the road, Emily was wondering whether some of these food would hold long enough they could be sent to Harry's brother at Denerim. Halfway to the chantry, a young boy suddenly approached her, turns out he's a courier. "Miss Parker I have a letter for you."

Emily looked surprised, "At this hour? Usually important news. How kind of you searching for me. Here's a tip for you boy," she reached out her pocket to get a coin.

The boy replied, "No need m'am, the letter comes with a tip already. A big one. I'm sorry, but I have to get going now."

Emily showed no expression, she took the letter and saw the envelope. "To Mrs Emily Parker née Volcman from Elroy Volcman."

Surprise was the immediate feeling she got, it petrified her. The rest were too abstract for her to dechiper right now. She put the envelope to her pocket and continued her walk to the chantry.


	2. Ch 2: Chasing for Spring pt 1

**Author's Note :** I originally want this to be super short story with only 3 - 5 chapter, but Maker, it's chapter 2 and the brother hasn't visit yet. Three chapter is a lost case, but I hope it ends on the 5th chapter, it is not in my intention anyway to serve some Sofia Coppola realness. Please enjoy this and be sure to like, review, and subscribe. Next chapter on Wednesday the fastest.

* * *

Emily didn't welcome Harry when he came home, "That's rare," he thought. Fortunately, the house is small he didn't have to searched Emily for long. When he found her, she was in the bedroom, looking at old books.

Harry stood by the door and asked, "Is something wrong?"

Emily looked surprised and immediately went to Harry. "Maker, I don't know you are home already. Give me your coat, I'll heat the food Elaina gave me. Safe me some coin and time," she said. Then she took Harry's coat and went to the kitchen with immense speed.

Harry didn't speak any further, he just watched Emily heating the food, steaming the rice, and preparing the plates. "Emily, I'm not hungry... yet."

"Yes, you come home early. I thought you said that this is the perfect time for merchant. Go on, tell me the story," Emily stopped preparing dinner. Harry went to the living room and sit on the couch, Emilly followed him.

"It's good, very good I can come home early. Arl Eamon representative went to every merchant to strike a deal with us. The King's order is to focus on rebuilding all Ferelden and since I sell basic needs, I'm gonna be busy for a while," he added, "Just don't expect too much profit, though."

"Good, It's a relieve to know that the monarchy is fast acting. I had my doubts when they announced that two grey wardens will be our leader. I'm no evil, but they better give us some reward after. Something that we can use, not a title or such."

Harry looked at Emily for a moment and added, "Em, I also ordered some decorative plants, fruits, and vegetables. They'll come tomorrow morning."

Emily's face brightened and her mood changed. She talked about how their house will be like before the rifts appeared and everything will be back to normal. She said, "What kind of plant? Wait, no! I'll just wait for tomorrow, as long as it's useful, I'm perfectly satisfied."

Suddenly Harry asked, "How's your day Em?"

Her smile faded a bit. "The usual," she added, "Cleaning, went to master Dennet, went to the chantry."

After a brief silent she added again, "Harry, I got a letter."

Harry waited for Emily to speak, but she didn't speak immediately. His face looked calm while her face looked a bit blank, as if trying to dig very deep inside for words. Emily stood and took a letter from the cupboard. She gave it to Harry.

Harry read it, "Uhm, 'To Mrs Emily Parker n _ée_ Volcman from Elroy Volcman,' the name sounds familiar and the last name... isn't he your brother?"

"My little brother, yes," she said it without emotion.

Harry looked like he wanted to say something, but he restrained it. He read the letter for a moment and then put it back in the cupboard. "We have to prepare a room for him. The guest room is occupied so I guess the small bedroom will do. Based on the the letter, I don't think he'll mind even if the room is a bit uncomfortable. When will he come?"

"I haven't write an answer yet."

Harry didn't look surprised, with a calm voice he said, "Write the answer now dear, I think we still have time, maybe we have to wait a reply until tomorrow morning though. Tell him, we will be happy to welcome him for a few days and although it's not the most comfortable house, we will make sure to take good care of him," he added, "I will prepare the dinner while you send the letter."

Emily wrote an answer while Harry read a book, it took quite a long time. When it was finished, Emily read it to her husband, who agreed immediately and told her to hurry send the letter before it's getting too dark.

Emily put on her coat then said, "I'm sorry, now you have to prepare the dinner alone. I'm gonna be fast."

"Please do, I will be waiting," they kissed each other cheek then Emily departed.

Harry didn't prepare dinner immediately, he went to the bedroom and looked at the book Emily saw. It was an old book: novel, cook book, poetry, history; all from before they were together. After that he went to small bedroom, it was very empty. There's only a small bed and a cabinet. He cleaned the cabinet, swept the floor, also changed the bedsheet, and brought a chair and table into the room. After he cleaned the room, he went back to the kitchen and prepared dinner. While heating the food, he read a few of Emily's book.

Suddenly Harry heard a familiar voice outside the kitchen, "Is the food ready?"

"Not yet, have you sent letter?" Harry closed the book quickly and hid it behind him.

"I have," the voice was getting farther, "Maker, you cleaned the bedroom, didn't you? Now I feel more guilty. Enough working, I will do the rest."

The ate dinner afterwards and the rest of the night was spent in a peaceful silence. Before they went to sleep, Emily read a book on the bed while Harry did some accounting on the table beside the bed.

Suddenly Harry said, "You never talked about him," after a brief pause he added, "I know all your family beside him."

Emily stopped reading and she looked at Harry. "We never talked about him."

"I never. I don't think you like to talk about him, that's why I never asked. That doesn't diminish my curiosity though," He finished his work and then joined Emily on the bed.

Emily looked at her husband for a while then said, "He is my little brother; he's only 2 years after me. When he was 7, he displayed an affinity for magic; he lit the fireplace with his hand. I was the only watching and I thought it was cool. The next day, I asked him to do it again, only this time our parents were watching," she stopped for a moment then added, "The rest is like usual; my father hates him, my mother's dillematic, I don't know what I'm feeling, the templar came, et cetera, et cetera."

The room fell into silence for a while. After a moment Harry said, "Thank you very much for telling me dear," he smiled then added, "Let's go to sleep now, tomorrow will be a busy day. I have work, you have plan, we also have a special guest."

Emily nod then she blew the candle.


End file.
